


A Catwalk Caper

by RandyWrites



Category: Catwoman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Gotham City Sirens (Comics), Zatanna (Comics)
Genre: Asphyxiation, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Heists, Surprise Kissing, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:02:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22323778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandyWrites/pseuds/RandyWrites
Summary: A break-in at Gotham's Natural History Museum sets off a titular game of cat-and-magician, as Selina is out to steal more than a few famous paintings.
Relationships: Selina Kyle/Zatanna Zatara
Kudos: 8





	A Catwalk Caper

Even the air was deathly still. A serene blue shift washing over the scene, painting sculpture and antique alike in melancholy light. Relics stolen from distant lands, now the subjects of a repeated theft. 

The irony wasn’t lost on the sorceress. But theft was theft. And it wouldn’t do to allow for such a crime to come to fruition. 

Especially not when the museum’s patronage was  _ so close _ to being brought under new management.

Bruce would be signing off on those papers tomorrow. A fundraising gala, a private board event, and a charity performance by the magician herself, all were to be held in the days after. 

None of that would matter if these artifacts were stolen before they had a chance to be restored and returned. Which was why, while Batman and his associates were busy with their numerous cases, Zatanna had taken it upon herself to investigate this breaking-and-entering-in-progress.

Her heels rapped a few times against the linoleum, before she whispered a spell to change them into flats. She stopped, head tilting as she listened carefully for any sign of movement, frowning when not a single sound could be heard above the gentle hum of an air conditioner kicking to life.

And so she pressed on through the museum.

It was an eerie stillness, an uncomfortable peace, to be found in a place like this. The low lighting for none but the occasional night guard’s benefit. An environment where the paintings now viewed their viewers, where sculptures could very well have the opportunity to shift, however slight it may be, into something different than what they were before.

She picked up her pace into the next room, idly wondering if she’d missed any would-be burglars after all, when a shadow flashing across a wall drew her attention.

“ _ PO- _ ” 

She’d barely made it a step into her run before she was hitting the floor, a hard spill. Noting the bolas binding her feet together, she began to pull herself up just as quickly onto her elbows and knees as her mind raced to remember a spell.    
“ _ SALOB D- _ ”

A gloved hand clamped itself over her mouth. Her first instinct to bite into it with prejudice, a fruitless effort as it held tighter in its place, sharp claws digging into her cheeks. 

“Sorry, kitten,” a familiar voice chuckled into her ear, “I sprung for the extra padding on these ones.”

Zatanna cocked her right arm before taking a blind swing behind her, hoping the movement would catch the cat-burglar off guard. Selina rolled with the blow, however, using the magician’s momentum to flip them together. She swung her prey around, slamming her back onto the floor, effectively knocking the wind out of her again. A deft, strong hand gathered Zatanna’s wrists, holding them in place above her head. The other was once again covering her mouth before she could get a syllable loose in the scuffle.

All she could do was glare up at the woman now straddling her torso.

“Pamela, Harley, darlings. Are you two quite finished with those Rembrandts?”

“Still gotta move ‘em to the getaway car, kitty! There’s a lotta loot!” Harley’s voice echoed, “But we’re gettin’ there!”

“I’m sure you must have a million questions,” she smiled down at the sorceress, “But I’m also sure you won’t mind if I answer absolutely none of them.” 

“Selina, I thought I told you to stop flirting with heroes,” Ivy scolded, passing by the pair with a couple of vases in hand. “It’s unbecoming.”

As the Cat opened her mouth to quip back, Zatanna pulled forcefully against the hand that held her wrists, one of them breaking free. She took another swing at the burglar. This time it connected, a sharp jab at the Cat’s ribs that made her grunt in pain, before she shifted. Hand removed from mouth, now an arm pressed forcefully against the magician’s throat.

“ _ Po- pots _ ,” she wheezed, wanting to curse herself for the slip in control. It was more of a plea than a command. Something that would certainly cost her.

“Sorry, Zee-Zee,” she tutted, leaning in close to whisper, “Not the magic words I’m looking for.” 

As she began to put her full weight on the magician’s windpipe, Zatanna could only mouth the word  _ ‘please’ _ . Consciousness already slipping, a terrible desperation as she pulled uselessly at the arm on her throat.

“That’s more like it,” Selina purred, pulling back her arm, but not pulling away completely from the woman under her. 

Zatanna coughed roughly, the pain of regaining control of her breathing taking over every thought. And there was Catwoman’s voice, miraculously breaking through anyway.

“I just want you to know, we haven’t touched any of the artifacts that were promised to be returned,” she hummed, “We’re criminals. Not monsters.”

“Yeah, you’re real saints,” Zatanna hissed. “ _ ANILE- _ ” 

She stopped herself as she felt the cool sting of one of Selina’s claws leaning against the skin of her throat.

“Your determination is positively adorable. If a little misguided.”

“I’ve heard worse.” She paused.

Selina would have to let her up some time. Even if only to make her own getaway. And there was no way to tell if more help would be coming… 

“You do realize a Bat is bound to burst in here any second, right?”

“Oh, I’m counting on it,” she smiled smugly back. She glanced up, checking the room before she lowered herself once more to whisper directly in Zatanna’s ear again. “A little bird once told me you and Bruce have  _ history _ . I wonder if you ever told him about  _ ours _ .”

The magician’s eyes narrowed as the Cat pulled away. 

“We’re friends,” she said through gritted teeth, taking a sharp breath to relax her jaw. No use letting the thief get a rise out of her. Better to turn those tables. “And once upon a time, Selina, you and I could’ve been friends too.”

Her playful pout was immediate, her voice dripping with derision. “Aw. You really think so? That’s so cute. A little blasé, though.”

She retracted the claw, glancing up to watch one of the Sirens pass in the next room over. 

Zatanna closed her eyes to concentrate, pouring over memories of simple, two syllable words to help her out of this position. But as soon as she opened her mouth with one in mind, she found her eyes were popping open in surprise as well. 

An herbal smell and the light touch of lips against her own. The taste of green tea on the Cat’s tongue as it explored her own for the shortest of seconds. She was shocked by the gentleness that the thief poured into the gesture. Firm, but not demanding as she pressed down on the magician. 

Zatanna’s anger was the first to flare back up, her one free hand pushing against the thief’s shoulder, shaking her head in denial.

“What the he-”

“Here,” the Cat said, slipping something into her jacket’s pocket, “I want you to keep this." She smiled, “For your heroic efforts.” 

“ _ ANILES EMOCEB A- _ ”

“Quick, but not quick enough on the draw there, kitten,” Selina laughed as she slapped a putty over Zatanna’s face, then parried her fist once more. “Maybe you’ll have better luck next time.”

**Author's Note:**

> starting as a prompt on tumblr... I've got an idea of where I want to take it, so this'll become yet ANOTHER wip... wish me luck y'all


End file.
